The South West was the region with the biggest increase in unemployment between January and March.
But the region had the lowest unemployment rate at 6.1%.
We are seeing continuing falls in the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance which is positive. Whilst there has been a disappointing increase in the headline rate of unemployment, we shouldn't forget the progress we are making. We are not complacent. To win the global race we need to do all that we can to help people achieve their aspiration to look after themselves and their families."
– Conservative MP Mark Hoban, Minister for Employment
Unemployment has risen in the South West, according to the new figures out today. Two thousand MORE people were out of work between August and October compared with earlier in the year.
But despite that, the South West still has the lowest unemployment rate in the country - at five point seven per cent. Employment Minister Mark Hoban gave us his response.
Employment Minister: "still challenges in Devon Cornwall"
Employment Minister Mark Hoban says there are still some challenges for Devon and Cornwall as new figures reveal unemployment has fallen in the South West.
Nationally, around 50,000 more people were in work according to the official figures for July to September. The unemployment figure is 2.51 million. Average earnings are also up 1.8%.[
](http://www.itv.com/news/story/2012-11-14/unemployment-figures/)Read more here
Employment Minister says youth unemployment fall is 'welcome'
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that a total of 155,000 people were unemployed in the South West between July and September. The region's unemployment rate was 5.8% and saw a drop of 1.3% during the period.
It's good news to see yet another increase in the number of people in work and to see unemployment fall again. The fall in youth unemployment is particularly welcome, although we're not complacent about the scale of the challenge still facing us.
We're working hard to help the long-term unemployed back into a job. That's why we've committed to supporting the hardest-to-help people over a two-year period through the Work Programme so that we can help them overcome their barriers to work and get them into sustainable jobs.
There's good news on the jobs front today, as it was announced earlier that unemployment in the South West is down. And it's also been revealed thousands of new jobs have been created in the renewable energy industry.
Over the past year, this region has doubled the amount of renewable energy it produces. Seth Conway reports.
The employment minister Chris Grayling has welcomed news that unemployment has dropped in the South West. Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics show unemployment fell by 5,000 between March and May this year.
